8) GET CREATIVE

Regardless if you have a smart phone where you can download apps or a traditional camera with modes….the only limit is your imagination:

Panoramas:The Olympics was a great example of a times where it’s difficult to get a great picture that stands out from the usual phones snaps, especially if the action is far away. Why not try a panorama app or setting. I downloaded Photaf PanoramaPic HD from my seat and got this shot first time from my HTC Desire HD phone, but there are many similar apps:

Retro Style Apps:There is a ton of great apps that will make your pictures look cool once you’ve got the basics nailed. I love ‘Pudding Camera’ & ‘RetroCamera’ on android. The below shot was using RetroCamera:

Abstracts:
Get in as close as your camera can focus and look for patterns in every day objects…you’ll be amazed with the results and no apps required.

Tilt Shift:Tilt Shift has traditionally been used in architectural photography, but you’ll have seen the effect where thing look miniature and toy like.

You can apply the effect to new or existing pictures and it adds a particular style of blur. This effectively increases the impact of the picture by directing the viewer eye to a particular part of you image. Below is a before and after, I used Awesome Miniature, but there are many similar apps:

Make something:Why not create a set, a concept or make something cool to photograph. Below the walls and the model are covered in newspaper:

Depth of Field:
The perception of depth in a picture can be controlled by how much is in focus and how much is blurred, this also directs the eye to the important detail or just helps you remove distracting clutter.

This is normally controlled by the apeture of a tradition lens and the smaller the number such as F2.8 gives the least depth…ideal for portraits and the bigger the number, the more that is rendered sharp for landscapes, etc. Smart phone users have a sort of compromise position where control is not really possible…worry not, here’s the cheat you’ll need…

Below is an example of a very cluttered background, in life sometimes you cannot move the subject or change the background, so here is a great post effect (applied after the picture is taken) See the example below, The first is the original image, the second has a blur (albeit a bit too much) and the final one has a motion blur all applied with the after focus app, but there are many similar apps: [My examples are a little rough and ready...if you purchase the app, use the feather option to blend the image in a smoother manor]